Thursday, January 16, 2014

Head of religious order analyzes surprise Philippine cardinal selection

The superior general of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate has discussed
Pope Francis’s surprise decision to name Oblate Archbishop Orlando
Quevedo a cardinal.

Archbishop Quevedo, 74, is the Archbishop of Cotabato, which is not
among the Philippines’ 20 largest cities.

The last four archbishops of
Manila, the nation’s capital, have been cardinals, as have the two
predecessors of the current archbishop of Cebu, one of the nation’s five
largest cities.

“By naming Archbishop Quevedo cardinal,” Father Louis Lougen told the
Fides news agency, “Pope Francis is giving a signal to all of us: it is
the recognition of a very committed missionary, a priest and bishop who
leads by serving others, whose main concern is the Gospel and the poor
and who has worked tirelessly to promote friendship between Christians
and Muslims, to support their struggle to live together in respect and
peace.”

Archbishop Quevedo “has always chosen to live simply” and “has always
been very close to the poor,” Father Lougen added. “He is a man of
compassion, joy, and generosity. Pope Francis is showing what kind of
Church we are called to be by naming Archbishop Quevedo as cardinal.”